A New Species of Microascus with a Scopulariopsis Stage

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The writer has studied in culture an ascomycete having a Scopularopsis conidial stage and an ascocarp stage very similar to the one described by Emmons and Dodge which corresponds to Microascus except that it has lunate-shaped ascospores whereas Microascus trigonosporus has triangular ascospores and Microascus sordidus has kidney-shaped ascospores. The new species is described as Microascus lunasporus. The ascocarp arises from two cells which shows great affinity for Haidenhain's haematoxylin stain, the ascogenous hyphae coming from one cell and the antheridium from the other. The antheridium is septate and fertilizes the ascogenous hyphae in the two-cell stage. After pairing, the nuclei undergo rapid division as the ascogenous hyphae becomes enveloped in a hypha weft of several layers of cells. Later this envelope becomes differentiated into an outer wall of dark-colored carbonized cells and an inner portion consisting of thin-walled colorless cells. These sterile cells are gradually absorbed and their place in the cavity is taken by ascospores set free as the asci deliquesce. The ascospores are discharged in long cirrhi containing a cementing substance which hardens on drying and which then is dissolved in water only very slowly.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: